Originally developed at the Royal Small Arms Factory located at Enfield Lock, in Middlesex on the outskirts of London, the so-called P-14 used the .303 British cartridge. In 1914, prior to the entry of the U.S. into WW I, the British government contracted with American commercial arms manufacturers Winchester, Remington, and Eddystone (a division of Remington) to produce the P14 rifle in caliber in .303 for the British Army. When the Ordnance department looked for additional production capacity, they decided to modify the Enfield for the U.S. standard .30-06 cartridge as a way to quickly get more rifle production using the same factories that were producing the British version. The Model 1917 Rivle (often called the M-1917 Enfield or U.S. Enfield) was the result.
This is the gun issued to and used by the real Sgt. Alvin York there is some confusion since Gary Cooper used a 1903 Springfield. There has been some controversy as to which rifle Sgt. York used, but most historians agree it was the 1917. Alvin York's son is on record as saying his father used a 1917, and not a 1903, regardless of what Gary Cooper used in the movie.
M1917 Army Field Manual
